Credit, collections & insolvency news

The number of business debt judgments registered in the Republic of Ireland during the third quarter of 2018 fell to the lowest levels on record for any third quarter, according to figures released today by Registry Trust.

In Q3 2018, 137 business judgments were issued, 10 percent fewer than Q3 of last year and the lowest of any third quarter. But the average value nearly doubled (after making allowance for a single unusually large judgment in Q3 2017). In Q3 2018, the total value of consumer judgments rose 12 percent to €50,564,363 and the average value rose to €93,811, four percent up on Q3 2017 figures. The number of consumer debt judgments registered rose seven percent on the same quarter of 2017, to 539. Only 4.59 percent of judgments were marked on the register as satisfied.

In total there were 676 judgments registered in the third quarter of 2018. The figures are based only on judgments registered at the request and cost of creditors at the Four Courts in Dublin and therefore provide only a partial picture of unmanaged debt judgments in the country. By comparison, in the much smaller economy of Northern Ireland, where judgments from all courts are registered, there were 1722 judgments in the third quarter of 2018.

Malcolm Hurlston as Registrar commented: “People and businesses should tell us when they have satisfied a judgment as it will improve their credit record.”

Statistics

Judgments against consumers Q3 2018 (compared with Q3 2017)

o Total: 539 (up seven percent)

o Total value: €50.6m (up 12 percent)

o Average value: €93,811 (up four percent)

o Median: €11,453 (up 1529 percent)

Judgments against businesses Q3 2018 (compared with Q3 2017)

○ Total: 137 (down ten percent)

○ Total value: €4.6m (down 43 percent)

○ Average value: €33,536 (down 37 percent)

○ Median: €5812 (up 148 percent)

Judgments against businesses – adjusted to exclude Q3 2017 outlier

○ Total: 137 (down nine percent)

○ Total Value: €4.6m (up 162 percent)

○ Average Value: €33,536 (up 189 percent)

* The average tends to be higher than the median, as it is more distorted by outlying, high value cases.